After Christmas, the Darts World Championship in London will enter its decisive phase. SWR Sport explains the most important terms of the sport.
Average is the name given to the average points scored by a player, usually the 3-dart average is calculated. That is, the average score obtained with one shot (3 darts).
Bullseye: The center of the dartboard is called the bullseye. If a player hits the bullseye, he gets 50 points.
CHeck Out is the throw (maximum of three darts) with which a player scores zero and wins the leg.
Doppel: A dartboard has three different point sectors. There are single points for the squares themselves. The outer ring earns double points and is accordingly called double, if you hit the inner ring you even score triple (triple).
Eone hundred and eighty is the highest score that can be achieved with one shot (three arrows). To do this, the player must hit the triple 20, i.e. the inner circle of the 20-point field, three times.
fans: The fans also play a big role in darts. With their fan chants and unusual costumes, they ensure the special flair in darts and are world-famous.
Every year, darts fans from all over the world come together at the world championships in London’s Alexandra Palace (“Ally Pally”) to celebrate their stars.
Gabriel Clemens from DV Kaiserslautern celebrated in 2021 as the only German darts player to date made it into the World Cup round of 16.
HHigh finish: If a player finishes a set with a checkout of more than 100 points, this is called a high finish.
Invitational tournaments are called competitions to which players must be invited. For example, one of these tournaments is the Premier League, in which eight world-class players compete in a league every Thursday. The counterpart are tournaments in which players can qualify through other events.
Joker: If a dart player does not hit the desired squares, but still scores high, it is called a joker.
Klassiker is the accidental achievement of 26 points. Usually, dart players aim for the 20-point field. If the hit of the 20 does not succeed, the arrow often slips into the adjacent five or one point fields. If you hit all three fields once, you achieve the so-called classic.
Leg: Leg refers to the individual rounds in darts, i.e. the one-time downplaying of the 501 points. Whoever makes 501 points first wins the leg. A darts game is always tied to a leg number, for example “First to 6” – the player who wins six legs first wins.
Madhouse (in German: madhouse) is the residual value of two points. Players must then hit the unloved double 1 to win the leg.
Neundarter: The smallest number of darts possible to downplay the 501 points and a highlight for players and fans alike.
Order of Merit is the name of the darts world rankings. Unlike in many sports, the evaluation is not based on points scored, but on prize money collected. But: Only tournaments for which players were able to qualify through sport are taken into account (invitational prize money is therefore excluded).
Peter Wright: The current number 1 in the world. After winning his first title in 2020, the Scot with the eye-catching hairstyles and costumes was able to follow suit at the 2021/2022 tournament and is the reigning world champion.
Q-School (also Qualification School) is the name of a tournament series in darts where amateurs can qualify for the professional tour.
Rrunner up: The runner up in a tournament is called the runner up.
Shanghai finish is a special way to win a leg. The player hits all three point areas of a number, i.e. the triple, the single number and finally the corresponding double. The most famous Shanghai finish is checking out 120 points over the 20 point field.
Ttriple 20 denotes hitting the inner circle of 20 points. It is – contrary to what is often assumed – the highest score that can be achieved with a dart.
ÜOverthrow: If a player scores more points (usually by mistake or through miscalculation) than he actually needs, this is referred to as overthrow. The shot is not scored and it is the opponent’s turn again.
VThere are also offers in darts. For example, players are prohibited from discarding below shoulder height. They also have to leave the field on the right side so as not to obstruct the camera image.
White wash: If a game clearly ends with a zero for a player – the opponent does not win a single leg – there is talk of a white wash.
XAny is the answer to the question for whom darts is suitable. No matter if young, old, man or woman: darts is a sport for everyone. All you need is arrows and a board. This is one of the reasons why more and more hobby players have started playing this trend sport in recent years.
YYoungster: The sport has developed. In the past it was considered more of an “old man’s sport”, but more and more young players are becoming enthusiastic about darts. England’s Luke Humphries (27), Callan Rydz (24) and Belgian Dimitri Van den Bergh (28) are among the best-known youngsters.
Zdialing plays a very important role in darts. The quick rollover of many combinations is a prerequisite for throwing out 501 points. Again and again there are miscounts among the players, which can cost them the victory.
